George Reeves' Superman on DVD (3 Viewers)

[pitchman]

It sounds like Warner rooked us on the commercials, too.

Personally, I never expected anything more than "Tony the Tiger" commercials in the first place. Kellogg's retired the other animated characters years ago, and from a marketing standpoint, it makes little sense to release those ads to Warner Bros. since their inclusion does little to enhance brand awareness. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were also copyright/licensing issues that prevent them from being used in this fashion.

At this point, I am just thrilled to get my hands on good quality transfers and uncut episodes. Anything else Warner's opts to include is icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Steve...O]

Thanks for a wonderful review Armand! Much appreciated.

Some episodes are the original edits

By this do you mean that some aren't? Before I get too concerned, would you please clarify if you meant that some episodes were modified or if you were just pointing out scenes that were reinserted. Hopefully all the episodes are complete.

Regarding the commercials, I recall reading (unfortunately I can't remember where) that rights issues prevented some of the commercials from being used on the set. I think Gary hit the nail on the head on this one.

One last thought on the previews....is it possible that the music rights problem that temporarily delayed this set is at play here? Wasn't it the case that any theme music outside the episode itself couldn't be used on this DVD (necessitating some rework on the documentary?) If the music is used on the preview would that be a problem?

Steve

 

[ArmandV]

Michael Hayde can probably answer the "original edits" questions better than I can once he gets his copy. I only watched a few of them and I know that "Crime Wave" is original and I am guessing that "The Evil Three" is also. The scene with the old lady in the wheelchair getting shoved down into the basement is in. So far, I haven't found any Easter eggs. - A.

 

[pitchman]

(2) The text-only cache page of http://www.warnervideo.com/adventuresofsupermandvd/ released on 26 Jul 05 spells out "Selected Original Episode Previews".

It looks like the Web site is about to go live again. I just checked it out and there are now active links for a couple of season one video clips and a picture gallery. Interestingly, the Warners online store is selling the 5-disc set for $29.99 with free shipping, which may prove to be as good as, or an even better deal, than some chain stores and online sellers.

 

[Gord Lacey]

Here you go:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4285

Gord

 

[pitchman]

Here you go:

Yep. Thanks, Gord! I saw that first and decided to poke around the cache page to see if there was any change or update yet.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4285

Uh-oh. That was fast. My biggest concern is that, since Warners clearly used versions that were digitally mastered for Columbia House on the first set, that they'll do the same here. And one of the second season episodes, "My Friend Superman", had a short scene missing from the CH VHS release.

Plus, one episode not released by CH, "Around the World with Superman", has been missing about 30 seconds for over two decades: a scene where Superman, still dressed as Clark Kent, begins to examine the cause of Ann Carson's blindness with his X-ray vision.

If these, or any other scenes, are missing the hue and cry will be fast and furious.

Michael

 

[pitchman]

My biggest concern is that, since Warners clearly used versions that were digitally mastered for Columbia House on the first set, that they'll do the same here.

Okay, Michael, now I am curious. We know for sure that Warners did not create any new digital masters, then? How was this confirmed?

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

Okay, Michael, now I am curious. We know for sure that Warners did not create any new digital masters, then? How was this confirmed?

By watching the episodes. Actually, my post was a little misleading... the episodes weren't digitally mastered specifically FOR Columbia House. WB did prepare digital masters of the episodes in the early 1990's, and these were used by both Columbia House and Nick-at-Nite (although the latter were trimmed and time-compressed).

The version of "The Stolen Costume" that appears on this set is pretty much the EXACT SAME MASTER used on the Columbia House video, and the same holds true for other episodes. The only difference is the opening title sequence: it looks like WB did a full restoration on one opening and used it for all the shows on the set. As I implied in my review, the episodes are not cleaned and restored to the same degree that WB brings to their vintage features and Looney Tunes sets. It's the DVD format that makes them look better than they did on Columbia House VHS tapes.

An exception is "Crime Wave" - it is NOT the version that has aired on TV and appeared in the CH package. It IS, however, the one that appeared on Warner Home Video's 1988 VHS release "TV's Best Adventures of Superman" Volume Two. Strangely, the end titles for this episode come from the Columbia House release, rather than the WHV version. (In fact, the entire episode was going to be the CH version, until the commentator, Chuck Harter, pointed out that there was another, better one available. The WB honchos then tracked it down.)

So, for the most part, Warners used what they already had, albeit tweaked to the best of their ability. Perhaps they had no choice in this case. Hopefully that won't be true of the next one.

Michael

 

[Bill Williams]

I'm wondering about the S2 set being prepped for January. What extras, if any, will be on this new set? And will it include the seldom-seen "Stamp Day for Superman" as an extra as well?

 

[pitchman]

Michael, thanks much for your reply! The only reason I asked is that in a HTF Warner Bros. chat from a couple of years back, the official response as to why TAS was not available on DVD was that the show elements were in very bad shape and needed much restoration work and that WB wanted to make sure they took the time to do it right. Based upon those remarks, perhaps I was expecting too much from this long-awaited release.

Slightly off topic, but have you ever though about making your excellent, "Superman Comes to Television," essay available as a pdf file (or some other document format) to make it easy for folks to download and read offline? Is this part of a larger body of work on the subject that you have published or will publish in the future? As a long time fan of the Gary Grossman book (which I spent the past couple of nights re-reading in anticipation of the upcoming DVD release), I would certainly welcome (and gladly purchase!) any additional volume on Superman that you publish.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

have you ever though about making your excellent, "Superman Comes to Television," essay available as a pdf file (or some other document format) to make it easy for folks to download and read offline? Is this part of a larger body of work on the subject that you have published or will publish in the future?

Thank you for the kind remarks. Actually, the piece was published in a George Reeves fanzine in 1996, and then in Filmfax magazine over three issues in 1997-98. It's not part of a larger work, and I have no plans to make it so. The .pdf idea is a good one, but I'm so tech-challenged, it was really a miracle that I was able to get it on Geocities!

Michael

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

Sorry, looks like I posted the last message THREE times in error. Told you I was tech-challenged!

Can someone delete this?

Michael

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

This one too?

Michael

 

[Roy Wall]

I'd like to pay tribute to the producer of the first season of The Adventures of Superman...Robert J. Maxwell.

The first 26 episodes of Superman "delivers" as promised in the weekly previews. The DVD set to be released this Tuesday, 18 Oct 05 is been patiently awaited by fans since news of it's release was announced in June.

The wallpaper shows the three main villains from my three favorite episodes and the theme is "the Robert J. Maxwell Diner" where you can always count on "Action, Adventure and Mystery" to be available from the menu.

[/IMG]

 

[Steve...O]

And one of the second season episodes, "My Friend Superman", had a short scene missing from the CH VHS release.

Plus, one episode not released by CH, "Around the World with Superman", has been missing about 30 seconds for over two decades: a scene where Superman, still dressed as Clark Kent, begins to examine the cause of Ann Carson's blindness with his X-ray vision.

If these, or any other scenes, are missing the hue and cry will be fast and furious.

Has anyone with an advanced copy of Season 2 been able to verify if the above mentioned scenes are included? Perhaps one of our Super Superman experts can chime in? My own copy is on order from Amazon.

Also, I've read on a couple other message boards (www.inthebalcony.com and the American Life TV message board) that Warners will be releasing the entire run of the show. Seasons 3 & 4 will be combined into one set and 5 & 6 will do the same. These seasons only had 13 episodes each. Has there been any official confirmation of this?

Steve

 

[Michael.J.Hayde]

A few months ago I wrote:

One of the second season episodes, "My Friend Superman", had a short scene missing from the Columbia House VHS release.

Plus, one episode not released by CH, "Around the World with Superman", has been missing about 30 seconds for over two decades: a scene where Superman, still dressed as Clark Kent, adjusts a lamp and begins to examine the cause of Ann Carson's blindness with his X-ray vision.

The episodes in question are missing those scenes in the second season box set. Fortunately, those appear to be the only scenes missing. All the other episodes time out to about 26 minutes, 15 seconds, which is correct. The two previously mentioned run about 25 minutes, 40 seconds.

But, just as with the first season set, Warners relied on the digital transfers prepared in 1991 when the show was picked up by NICK AT NITE. This was well before DVD entered the mainstream. What a pity a true restoration was not done on this classic series. What a pity that Warners didn't follow Paramount's lead in their EXCELLENT restoration of I LOVE LUCY. (Incidentally, I have the word of one of the principal parties involved in the restoration that George Reeves' credit has been restored to the "Lucy and Superman" episode in the forthcoming 6th season set).

Michael

 

[James@R]

It's unfortunate (and surprising) that they didn't give this show a proper restoration. But on the bright side, I'm now getting to experience this series for (essentially) the first time.

In my experience, George Reeves is not very well-known in the role by most people under thirty. It's ironic then, when you realize what a long shadow he casts. You can spot everything from Christopher Reeve's portrayal to Alex Ross' Superman if you're paying attention.

I know the first season is generally regarded as the best, but personally, I find myself leaning towards the second. I can appreciate the gritty, realistic intentions of the first, but at the end of the day, the main character is still a flying alien. :wink:

 

[pitchman]

What a pity a true restoration was not done on this classic series.

I agree, Michael. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to have these shows at all on DVD, but as I make my way into the second disc of this box set, I can't help but think that it is a missed opportunity on the part of Warner Bros. Although the show-proper tends to, by-and large, look more than acceptable. Many of the open and closing credit sequences are tattered, frayed and downright awful looking! On a few of the episodes, we are treated to some positively jarring hard-cuts as we go from the end of the show open into the program start. It is pretty obvious to me that some program material has been omitted.

On a positive note, I can't believe how much FUN this second season is! I may be wrong, but it seems that this season has had the least amount of exposure in syndication over the years. I would say that the color seasons (for obvious reasons) have had the most, followed by the dark, moody first season. Therefore, it is a real treat to finally get to see these episodes sequentially again. What they may lack in first season atmosphere, they more than make up for with fast-paced action!

 

[Steve...O]

I've watched 7 or 8 episodes so far plus the bonus features. The quality is outstanding and I'm very pleased with this set. I'm mildly disappointed in the two brief omissions, but I'm sure WHV did the best with what they had.

I was very impressed with Phyllis Coates in S1, but watching S2 reminds me why I'm a Noel Neill fan

Steve